Brioches La Boulangere to end sponsorship

Procycling.com | Pro Tour costs force Boulangere out of the sport

More bad news for Joseba Beloki: the sponsor of his team has decided to exit the sport after the 2004 season. Apparently, the increased roster that would be required to contest the UCI Pro Tour, beginning next year, would lead to an increase in sponsorship costs of around 40 percent, which the baking company decided not to spend.

"Of course the objective of the UCI Pro Tour is to provide sponsors with greater marketing potential, but that is beyond what is needed by our company with our smaller needs. It is consequently impossible for us to continue with this great adventure."

BLB’s decision provokes a number of questions, primarily whether team manager Jean-René Bernaudeau has another sponsor waiting in the wings. If not, the question then arises about the future of the team’s talented roster of riders, particularly Joseba Beloki, who only joined the French outfit this year, Sylvain Chavanel and Didier Rous.